Liquid pourer

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a liquid pourer ( 30 ) for attachment to a bottle ( 31 ) and a combination of a bottle and a liquid pourer. More particularly the invention relates to liquid pourers which are adapted for the concurrent pouring of two liquids ( 32, 58 ) and which are suitable for attachment to a spirit bottle. When the pourer is engaged with the neck( 35 ) of a bottle, the entire liquid reservoir ( 40 ) is disposed outside of the bottle.

The invention relates to a liquid pourer for attachment to a bottle and a combination of a bottle and a liquid pourer. More particularly the invention relates to liquid pourers which are adapted for the concurrent pouring of two liquids and which are suitable for attachment to a spirit bottle.

A common type of beverage may be made by the mixing two types of liquids together. Such beverages include cocktails and cordials or simply the combination of an alcoholic measure with a non-alcoholic ‘mixer’.

It is almost universal that the two or more liquid components of such beverages are stored separately in different containers. To produce the mixed beverage, a first liquid is poured from a first container into a glass. Subsequently, a second liquid component of the beverage is poured from a second container into the glass, thereby mixing the two liquids and completing the beverage.

This pouring process is time consuming and poses problems in commercial situations for example in premises where a large number of beverages are served.

Consumers often prefer a particular brand of spirit to form the alcoholic component of a cocktail or mixed beverage. It is almost universal that such branded spirits are not sold in a pre-mixed form. There does not therefore exist a convenient way for a consumer to provide their preferred mixed component beverage without the inconvenience of first and second mixing steps.

When carrying out the first and second mixing steps in making a large number of mixed drinks it is often difficult for the consumer to ensure that the ratios of each component are the same in all of the beverages which they are pouring. This a particular problem when each of the drinks is being poured into glasses with different cross sectional profiles. In this case it is hard to compare by eye how much of each component of a mixture has been poured into each glass.

Furthermore in the case of an individual consumer making their own mixed drinks, it is common to buy a single bottle of alcoholic spirit to form the basis for several mixed beverages. A premixed combination of a spirit and a second component is therefore undesirable as it limits the consumer in the beverages which they can prepare.

Since the components of mixed beverages are commonly sold separately, a large amount of space is required to store the bottles containing all of the components.

Pourers capable of pouring two liquids exist, however each has associated problems, for example being difficult to clean or being limited in their range of use or compatibility.

It is amongst the objects of the invention to overcome one or more of the above mentioned problems with the state of the art.

The patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,491 discloses a container having two compartments. Liquid may be concurrently poured from each of these compartments into a glass. The object of the invention described in this patent is to pour a white and a dark liquid from different compartments of the same container, into a glass such that no mixing takes place between the liquids. One layer of liquid is intended to sit on the top of the other once the liquids have been poured.

The patent application EP 2361848 A1 relates to a dispenser for dispensing oil and vinegar. A container for housing vinegar is disposed inside a larger outer container adapted to house the oil component of the mixture.

In a first aspect the invention provides a liquid pourer for engagement with the neck of a bottle and, when so engaged, the concurrent pouring of a first liquid from within the pourer and a second liquid from within the bottle, comprising;

-   -   a liquid reservoir,     -   an engaging means for removably engaging the pourer with the         neck of a bottle,     -   a first liquid conduit through which liquid may exit the liquid         reservoir,     -   a first air conduit through which air may enter the liquid         reservoir,     -   a second liquid conduit through which liquid may exit the bottle         when the pourer is engaged with the bottle,     -   a second air conduit through which air may enter the bottle when         the pourer is engaged with the bottle,     -   configured so that when the pourer is engaged with the neck of a         bottle the entire liquid reservoir is disposed outside of the         bottle.

The fact that the pourer is removable from the spirit bottle to which it may be attached allows the interchange of the pourer with a plurality of different spirit bottles. The range of mixed beverages which the user may prepare is therefore greatly increased while preserving the advantages of consistent pouring ratios and time saving nature of the pourer.

The fact that the liquid reservoir is disposed outside of the bottle allows the pourer to be removed and cleaned more easily than liquid pourer attachments of the prior art. In order to clean the pourer it must be removed from the bottle. When the pourer of the present invention is engaged with the bottle there is no contact between the liquid reservoir of the pourer and fluid in the bottle. Once removed from the bottle, the outside of the liquid reservoir is not covered with fluid from inside the bottle. This allows easier and less messy removal of the pourer.

Additionally the fact that the liquid reservoir is disposed outside of the bottle means that none of the internal space of the bottle is taken up by the pourer's liquid reservoir. This is particularly advantageous when a user wants to fit the pourer to a bottle which is already predominantly filled with liquid. This situation would arise when a user wanted to fit the pourer to a recently purchased, full bottle of spirit. If a user wanted to fit a pourer having a reservoir which was to be disposed inside the bottle, they would have to remove some of the bottle's contents in order to make room for the liquid reservoir of the pourer. This would be inconvenient.

In preferred embodiments the first air conduit is narrower than the first liquid conduit and the second air conduit is narrower than the second liquid conduit.

The liquid reservoir may be elongate and arranged so as to be vertically disposed and adjacent to the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.

In embodiments of the invention where the liquid reservoir is elongate and vertically disposed such that it is adjacent to the bottle when engaged with the bottle, liquid disposed therein may sit at a level which corresponds to the level of the liquid in the bottle. This ensures that liquid stored in the liquid reservoir does not make the bottle and pourer combination top-heavy and liable to tipping. when the liquid reservoir is vertically disposed and adjacent to the bottle it may conform to the outside surface of the bottle such that the bottle and the pourer are both easily grasped by the user.

The liquid reservoir may be disposed such that the neck of the bottle is nested with the liquid reservoir when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle. The liquid reservoir may be annular. In a preferred embodiment the liquid reservoir is generally doughnut shaped and the neck of the bottle is disposed in the central recess of the doughnut shape, permitting the liquid reservoir to rest upon a shoulder of the bottle.

At least one of the liquid conduits may be provided with a pouring spout. In preferred embodiments, each of the liquid conduits is provided with a pouring spout. The pouring spout(s) may be generally upstanding from the neck of the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle and may be generally parallel.

The engaging means may be annular and may be formed from a resiliently deformable material such that the pourer maybe push fitted onto the neck of a bottle. The resiliently deformable material may be a rubber, polymer or plastic.

The engagement means may be a screw thread adapted to engage with a corresponding thread on the neck of a bottle.

The pourer may be configured so that when engaged with a bottle, liquid in the liquid reservoir may not mix with liquid in the bottle.

The liquid pourer may be provided with a cap which is removably engagable with the pourer and which, when in an engaged configuration covers at least one of the liquid conduits or at least one pouring spout. The cap may be a screw cap and the liquid pourer may be provided with a corresponding screw thread for the engagement of the cap.

Syrup may be disposed in the liquid reservoir. The syrup may be a sugar syrup to be mixed on pouring with an alcoholic component disposed in the bottle, forming the alcoholic mixed beverage. Alternatively, a concentrate may be disposed in the liquid reservoir. Such concentrates are commonly used in producing fruit flavoured cordials.

The first and second liquid conduits and/or their associated pouring spouts may have different cross sectional profiles. This will ensure that when the pourer is attached to the bottle and inverted, liquid from within the bottle and liquid from within the pourer will be poured at a pre-determined rate, depending upon the cross sectional profile of the liquid conduits or pouring spouts.

The first and second liquid conduits and/or their associated pouring spouts may have constant circular cross sections wherein the ratio of the diameters of the cross sections of the first liquid conduit and/or its associated pouring means and the second liquid conduit and/or its associated pouring means is between 2:5 and 1:3.

Liquid conduits and/or their associated pouring spouts may be adapted such that, when the pourer and the bottle to which it is engaged are inverted, the flow rate from the syrup container to the bottle is between the ratios of 1:2 and 1:12. More preferably the ratio of flow rates is between 1:6 and 1:10.

The first and second liquid conduits may each define openings which, when the pourer is engaged with the neck of a bottle, are disposed in the liquid reservoir and the bottle respectively such that liquid may enter the openings when the bottle is held at 45-50° from the vertical.

The pourer may be formed from a single piece of material.

One of the liquid conduits or pouring spouts may be provided with an adjustable valve for varying the flow rate of liquid therethrough.

Upper end regions of each of the pouring spouts which are distal to the bottle may be disposed at an angle of 30-50° to the neck of the bottle when the liquid pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.

Upper end regions of the liquid conduits or the pouring spouts may be disposed adjacent to one another such that, on pouring, liquid exiting each of the liquid conduits or pouring spouts forms a single liquid stream.

Upper end regions of the liquid conduits or the pouring spouts may be fused to form a single liquid passageway through which liquid may exit the pourer.

The liquid reservoir may be made from a transparent material for example a transparent plastic such that liquid disposed therein is visible from outside of the liquid reservoir.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a combination of a bottle and a liquid pourer as previously described.

The bottle may comprise a neck which is provided with a generally circular mouth.

The ratio of the volume of the liquid reservoir to the volume of the bottle may be between 1:12 and 1:2 and preferably between 1:10 and 1:6.

The bottle and liquid pourer may be provided with a first liquid disposed in the liquid pourer's liquid reservoir and a second, different liquid disposed in the bottle. The first liquid and second liquid may have different viscosities. The first liquid may be non-alcoholic and the second liquid may be alcoholic. The first liquid may be syrup and the second liquid may be a spirit.

The bottle may further have a generally cylindrical body. When engaged with the neck of the bottle, the pourer's liquid reservoir may not extend radially beyond the bottle's body.

The pourer's liquid reservoir may be elongate and, when the bottle is engaged with the pourer, extend from adjacent to the neck of the bottle to the base of the bottle or near to the base of the bottle. In such embodiments the liquid reservoir may therefore be vertically disposed and adjacent to the bottle to which the pourer is attached. The elongate nature of the liquid reservoir and the fact that the liquid reservoir extends to the base of the bottle enables syrup disposed therein to sit at a level which corresponds to the level of the liquid in the bottle. This ensures that liquid stored in the liquid reservoir does not make the bottle and pourer combination top-heavy and liable to tipping. When the liquid reservoir is vertically disposed, adjacent to the bottle and extends to the base of the bottle it may conform to the outside surface of the bottle such that the bottle and the pourer are both easily grasped by the user.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of pouring a mixed beverage comprising the steps of;

-   -   providing a liquid pourer as previously described which contains         a first liquid,     -   providing a bottle containing a second liquid,     -   engaging the liquid pourer with the bottle, and     -   inverting the liquid pourer and bottle such that the first and         second liquids are concurrently poured from within the pourer         and the bottle.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the figures of the drawings of modes for putting the invention into effect. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pourer according to a first embodiment of the invention when attached to a spirit bottle.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the body portion bottle and pourer of FIG. 1, taken along a plane parallel to the bottom face of the bottle.

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of the pourer and spirit bottle of FIG. 1 when taken along the line in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view of an upper portion of the pourer in FIG. 1 taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the liquid pourer according to the invention, engaged with the neck of a spirit bottle.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the liquid pourer and bottle of FIG. 5.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a pourer attachment of the present invention (1) engaged with a spirit bottle (2). The spirit bottle has a body portion which has a generally square cross section and a planar bottom face (7). At the upper end of the body portion (3), the cross section of the bottle tapers to form a neck (4) portion. The neck has a tubular cross section at its upper end (not shown). At its upper end the neck is provided with a screw thread (not shown) on its outward facing surface for attachment to a corresponding screw cap (not shown). The pourer attachment comprises a syrup reservoir (5) which is disposed adjacent to an outside face of the spirit bottle. The syrup reservoir extends from a lower end (6) which is level with the bottom face (7) of the spirit bottle to a shoulder (8) which is level in height to the point at which the body of the spirit bottle begins to taper to the neck of the bottle. The cross section of the syrup reservoir is constant below the shoulder. The cross section is generally ‘D’ shaped with the flat side of the ‘D’ laying flat against a face of the spirit bottle. The cross sectional profile of the syrup reservoir (6), the bottle and the interior spaces (16, 19) of the bottle and syrup reservoir respectively are shown in FIG. 2.

At the shoulder (8) the syrup reservoir tapers to form a neck (9) which sits flush to the neck (4) of the bottle. The neck of the syrup reservoir is attached at its upper end to a body portion (10) of the pourer. The body portion of the pourer is generally cylindrical and fits over the neck of the bottle. The body portion is provided with two pouring spouts (11, 12) which protrude vertically from a planar top surface (13) of the body portion. The pouring spouts are formed from two cylindrical tubes. At an upper region of each pouring spout the tubes are provided with a shoulder (14) such that the upper end of each tube is disposed at an angle of 45° to the neck of the bottle. At their lower ends (not shown in FIG. 1) the tubes forming the pouring spouts (11, 12) extend through the body portion and into either the bottle or the syrup reservoir of the pourer. This is more clearly seen in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows the pouring spouts (11 and 12) extending downwardly through the pourer body portion (10). The spout (12) defines a liquid conduit (15) which extends into the interior (16) of the bottle (2). The pourer is engaged with the bottle via the plug (17). The plug is formed from a resiliently deformable rubber material. The plug has an ‘O’ shaped cross section when viewed from above wherein the spout (12) passes through the central hole in the ‘O’ section. The plug is adapted to be engageable with the inside of the neck (4) of the bottle by push fitting. Once push fitted to the bottle, the plug forms a seal between the spout (12) and the neck of the bottle such that liquid may only flow out of the bottle by flowing through the liquid conduit (15) in the spout (12). The spout (12) terminates at a lower end which protrudes below the plug into the inner space (16) of the bottle.

The pouring spout (11) defines a second liquid conduit (18). This spout and liquid conduit extend downwardly through the surface (13) of the body portion of the pourer. The tube extends into an inner space (19) defined by the syrup reservoir (5). The outside of a lower portion of the spout (11) is permanently attached to the walls of the syrup reservoir (5) such that syrup may only flow out of the syrup reservoir through the liquid conduit (18).

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of an upper portion of the neck of the bottle and the pourer when viewed along the section IV-IV in FIG. 1. The air conduit (20) is a tube of narrower diameter than the liquid conduit (15). The air conduit (20) provides a passageway having a lower opening (21) into the inner volume defined by the bottle (16). The passageway also has a circular upper opening (22) disposed on the surface (13) of the body portion of the pourer and adjacent to the pouring spout (12). The upper and lower openings allow air to pass freely in and out of the bottle. When the pourer is engaged with the bottle and inverted, liquid contents of the bottle flow out of the bottle via the liquid conduit (15). Air flows into the bottle through the air conduit to equalize the pressure inside the bottle and the pressure outside the bottle. This prevents the flow of liquid out of the bottle from being hindered by a pressure difference. A similar air conduit (not shown) permits the equalization of pressure between the inside of the syrup Container and the outside atmosphere. The upper opening of the second air conduit (not shown) is disposed on the surface (13) of the body portion of the pourer, adjacent to the pouring spout (11).

SECOND EMBODIMENT

FIG. 5 shows a liquid pourer (30) engaged with a spirit bottle (31). The bottle in FIGS. 5 and 6 is a conventional spirit bottle having a generally circular cross section when viewed from above. The bottle contains a spirit (32). Syrup (58) is contained within the syrup reservoir. The sidewalls of the bottle (33) extend vertically and upwardly over a body portion (39) from the base of the bottle (not shown) to the shoulder (34). At the shoulder the sidewalls taper inwardly to form a neck (35). The neck of the bottle is cylindrical and extends upwardly until it terminates at its upper end with a circular mouth. The pourer is provided with a cylindrical engagement collar (36). In order to engage the pourer with the neck of the bottle, the collar is push fitted onto the neck of the collar such that a watertight seal is formed between the collar and the inside of the bottle neck. The surface of the collar which engages with the neck of the bottle is provided with annular ribs (37) formed from a resiliently deformable rubber material. These ribs ensure that a watertight seal is provided when the collar is engaged with the neck of the bottle. The walls of the collar are connected at their upper ends to a top plate (38) of the pourer. The top plate has a circular circumference equal to the circumference of the body portion (39) of the bottle. A syrup reservoir (40) depends from the top plate of the pourer. The syrup reservoir is annular such that when the pourer is engaged with the bottle, the neck of the bottle nests within the ring created by the syrup reservoir. When engaged with the bottle, the syrup reservoir extends downwardly from the top plate as far as the taper of the bottle between the shoulder (34) and the neck of the bottle (35). The cross section of the syrup reservoir is generally rectangular and is constant at any at any angular displacement around the symmetry axis (X). The syrup reservoir contains syrup which forms a mixer component of a drink to be poured.

The pourer is provided with a first (41) and a second (42) pouring spout. The first pouring spout is formed by a tube which extends upwardly from the top plate of the pourer. The spout defines a liquid conduit (46) which extends from the aperture (43) in the underside of the top plate, to an opening (44) at an upper end (45) of the pouring spout (41). The aperture (43) permits spirit to flow out of the bottle along the liquid conduit (46) and out of the opening (44) when the bottle and pourer are inverted. The first pouring spout is curved towards the outer circumference of the reservoir. The second pouring spout (42) also extends upwardly from the top plate (38) of the pourer. The lower end of the second pouring spout is disposed nearer to the outer circumference of the pourer than the first pouring spout. The second pouring spout defines a liquid conduit (47). The conduit extends from the aperture (48) in the top plate of the pourer to the opening (49) at its upper end (59). The aperture (48) permits syrup to flow out of the syrup reservoir along the liquid conduit (47) and out of the opening (49) when the bottle and pourer are inverted. The second pouring spout is also curved towards the outer circumference of the top plate of the pourer. The upper end of the first pouring spout is disposed generally above the upper end of the second pouring spout. The upper ends (45, 59) of the first and second pouring spouts are disposed at an angle of roughly 45° to the neck of the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the bottle.

The top plate of the pourer is provided with first (50) and second (51) air passageways which are both disposed on a notional straight line which extends from the geometric centre of the top plate to a point on the circumference of the top plate. This arrangement is clear from the plan view of the pourer and bottle in FIG. 6. The air passageways have a circular cross section which is smaller than the cross section of either of the liquid conduits (46 or 47). The first air passageway (50) is provided with first (54) and second (53) openings to the interior space of the bottle (52) and with the outside atmosphere respectively. These openings permit air to flow between the interior of the bottle and the outside atmosphere. The second air passageway (51) is provided with first opening (55) and second opening (56) to the outside atmosphere and the inside (57) of the syrup reservoir respectively. These openings permit the flow of air between the inside of the syrup reservoir and the outside atmosphere respectively. The air flow permitted by the air passageways (50, 51) prevents liquids held in the bottle or the fluid reservoir being hindered from exiting the respective liquid pourers by a pressure difference between the inside of the bottle or reservoir and the outside atmosphere.

The first and second pouring spouts are both disposed on a notional straight line which extends from the geometric centre of the top plate (38) to a point on the outer edge of the top plate.

This arrangement is shown clearly in FIG. 6. 

1. A liquid pourer for engagement with the neck of a bottle and, when so engaged, the concurrent pouring of a first liquid from within the pourer and a second liquid from within the bottle, comprising: a liquid reservoir, an engaging means for removably engaging the pourer with the neck of a bottle, a first liquid conduit through which liquid may exit the liquid reservoir, a first air conduit through which air may enter the liquid reservoir, a second liquid conduit through which liquid may exit the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the bottle, a second air conduit through which air may enter the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the bottle, configured so that when the pourer is engaged with the neck of a bottle the entire liquid reservoir is disposed outside of the bottle.
 2. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the liquid reservoir is elongate and arranged so as to be vertically disposed and adjacent to the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.
 3. The liquid pourer of either preceding claim 1 wherein the liquid reservoir is disposed such that the neck of the bottle is nested with the liquid reservoir when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.
 4. The liquid pourer of claim 3, wherein the liquid reservoir is annular.
 5. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein at least one of the liquid conduits is provided with a pouring spout.
 6. The liquid pourer of claim 5 wherein each of the liquid conduits is provided with a pouring spout.
 7. The liquid pourer of claim 6 wherein the pouring spouts are generally upstanding from the neck of the bottle when the pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.
 8. The liquid pourer of claim 6 wherein the pouring spouts are generally parallel.
 9. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the engaging means is annular and is formed from a resiliently deformable material such that the pourer may be push fitted onto the neck of a bottle.
 10. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the engagement means is a screw thread adapted to engage with a corresponding thread on the neck of a bottle.
 11. The liquid pourer of claim 1 in which, when engaged with a bottle, liquid in the liquid reservoir may not mix with liquid in the bottle.
 12. The liquid pourer of claim 1 further comprising a cap which is removably engagable with the pourer and which, when in an engaged configuration covers at least one of the liquid conduits or at least one pouring spout.
 13. The liquid pourer of claim 12 wherein the cap is a screw cap and the liquid pourer is provided with a corresponding screw thread for the engagement of the cap.
 14. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein syrup is disposed in the liquid reservoir.
 15. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the first and second liquid conduits and/or their associated pouring spouts have different cross sectional profiles.
 16. The liquid pourer of claim 15 wherein the first and second liquid conduits and/or their associated pouring spouts have constant circular cross sections and wherein the ratio of the diameters of the cross sections of the first liquid conduit and/or its associated pouring means and the second liquid conduit and/or its associated pouring means is between 2:5 and 1:3.
 17. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the first and second liquid conduits each define openings which, when the pourer is engaged with the neck of a bottle, are disposed in the liquid reservoir and the bottle respectively such that liquid may enter the openings when the bottle is held at 45-50° from the vertical.
 18. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein the pourer is formed from a single piece of material.
 19. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein one of the liquid conduits or pouring spouts is provided with an adjustable valve for varying the flow rate of liquid therethrough.
 20. The liquid pourer of claim 6 wherein upper end regions of each of the pouring spouts which are distal to the bottle are disposed at an angle of 30-50° to the neck of the bottle when the liquid pourer is engaged with the neck of the bottle.
 21. The liquid pourer of claim 1 wherein upper end regions of the liquid conduits or the pouring spouts are disposed adjacent to one another such that, on pouring, liquid exiting each of the liquid conduits or pouring spouts forms a single liquid stream.
 22. A combination of a bottle and the liquid pourer of claim
 1. 23. The bottle and liquid pourer of claim 22 wherein the bottle comprises a neck which is provided with a generally circular mouth.
 24. The bottle and liquid pourer of claim 22 wherein the ratio of the volume of the liquid reservoir to the volume of the bottle is between 1:12 and 1:2 and preferably between 1:10 and 1:6.
 25. The bottle and liquid pourer of claim 22 further comprising a first liquid disposed in the liquid reservoir and a second, different liquid disposed in the bottle.
 26. The bottle and liquid pourer of claim 25 wherein the first liquid and second liquid have different viscosities.
 27. The bottle and pourer of claim 25 wherein the first liquid is non-alcoholic and the second liquid is alcoholic.
 28. The bottle and pourer of claim 27 wherein the first liquid is syrup and the second liquid is a spirit.
 29. The bottle and pourer of claim 22 wherein the bottle further comprises a generally cylindrical body and wherein, when engaged with the neck of the bottle, the pourer's liquid reservoir does not extend radially beyond the bottle's body.
 30. The bottle and pourer of claim 22 wherein the pourer's liquid reservoir is elongate and extends from adjacent to the neck of the bottle to the base of the bottle or near to the base of the bottle.
 31. (canceled)
 32. A method of pouring a mixed beverage comprising the steps of; providing a liquid pourer according to claim 1 which contains a first liquid, providing a bottle containing a second liquid, engaging the liquid pourer with the bottle, and inverting the liquid pourer and bottle such that the first and second liquids are concurrently poured from within the pourer and the bottle. 